Star Wars: The Other Young Jedi Knights
by Strider191
Summary: The adventures of a group of Jedi trainee's at the Academy. My own Young Jedi Knights series. Based on Original Characters but with appearances by many EU characters. R&R please.
1. Welcome to the Academy

This story is dedicated to Charlotte

For the help and support, without you I wouldn't have even started.

disclaimer: Okay, apart from the characters that I created (e.g. Lyn and Jannos and any others that don't appear anywhere else) I own nothing and am making no profit on this, please don't sue me. I would like to aknowladge my friend Darren for coming up with Andri. Also like to say thank you to Mr. Lucas for coming up with the whole thing and to the hardworking authors responsible for the EU. Hats off to those guys and girls.

This is set around the same time period as the Young Jedi knights series, Mr. Anderson and Ms. Moesta got to take their characters through, now it's my turn. Couple tips, stuff in italics is either the name of a ship, or thoughts the character is thinking to themselves, and for those who don't know lekku is the name of the Twi'lek head tails and also of the language involved with 'reading' the movements of the head tails.

The Academy  
By Jake Wood  
Chapter 1

BRIGHT SUNLIGHT POURED through the windows of the Jedi Academy and fell upon the sleeping figure of a young Twi'lek woman. Her face was a vision of peace as she lay undisturbed, the sun lighting upon her smooth skin. Her gold flecked eyes opened and blinked away the piercing light. After a few moments simply enjoying the softness of her bed and the feeling of the sun warming her body, she finally sat up and looked around. Her name was Lyn Eera, and like all Twi'leks had a pair of head tails that draped down her back called lekku. Her blue skin was soft and smooth, her eyes intelligent and sharp. The sixteen year old was not only a potential Jedi knight, here to train in the force with Luke Skywalker but she was also the heir to the Eeranian merchant fleet. Though not nearly as big as many of the other prominent trading fleets it was beginning to gain support and was expanding quickly. Her parents had moved off Ryloth, the Twi'lek home world when she was very young to escape the tyranny and corruption that plagued it. Now instead of a planet to call her home, Lyn called the many ships of her parent's fleet home, and she had never been away from them for any real length of time, and never without her parents. She stood basking in the sun, a rare feeling indeed when you have spent your life in the void of space, allowing its golden rays to energize her body. Her ears savored the sounds of the lush jungle around her awakening with the new day; this world was alive in a way she had never imagined. Moving over to the refresher, she turned on the water, scrubbing her face clean, fully awake now. She had been discovered to be Force sensitive when her family had stopped on a small world for a trade agreement. A Jedi named Tionne and her husband Kam, who were both teachers at the academy, had been called in to act as a neutral third party and had noticed immediately that the young Twi'lek was possessed of Force talent. After long deliberation with her parents she had decided that learning to unlock her Force potential would be getting to know herself a lot better and help her decide what course she wanted to take in her life. Stretching her body and reveling in the well rested response of her muscles Lyn considered what might happen today. Though the Eeranian fleet was made up of all races, Lyn had very little contact with peers outside her species and was a bit apprehensive about how things would play out, whether or not she would be able to make friends with the other trainees._ Today I start a new life, I am going to be a Jedi_, she thought as she pulled one of her Jedi robes out of a chest at the foot of her bed. She donned the robe reverently, taking special care that everything was just right, she wanted to make a good impression after all. When she was finished she turned and looked at herself in the mirror. _I really do look like a Jedi_ she thought, and the corners of her mouth turned upwards in a smile. Moving over to her desk she looked at the schedule for the day. It said that on the first day all new trainees would have orientation at 8:00 which was in 15 minutes. She could hear the other trainees milling around outside her door, slowly making their way to the Grand Audience chamber. _I don't want to be late, better get going_ thought Lyn as she grabbed the few items she needed for classes, all of which fit into the utility belt she wore around her waist. Brushing herself down one last time she took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway. The first thing she noticed was that she was at the end of the crowd, with most of the trainees already in front of her. She noted many different species but predominantly the trainees were human. Humans varied so much; Lyn had to wonder if perhaps they had subspecies like the Twi'lek. She had met a few humans and like many non humans could converse with them freely in Basic. _Maybe this wont be so bad_ Lyn thought as she started off after the group of new students, head-tails twitching ever so slightly with excitement. She noticed the line for the turbo lift was a long one, so instead of waiting she took the stairs instead. _I have time, and I'd rather not be stuck in a lift with so many strangers_. She started up the stairs, a smile on her face as she considered all the wonderful things this place would teach her. When she emerged from the stairwell into the throng of students she took a minute to look around the Grand Audience chamber. This was the same chamber where Luke Skywalker and Han Solo had received their medals after the destruction of the death star. She noticed students of all shapes, sizes, and species. But despite their differences everyone in that hall shared a common interest; they all wanted to be Jedi Knights, to defend the New Republic if the need arose. Only then did Lyn realize that she would inevitably have to find a seat, beside a stranger. Scanning the crowd, she took note that most of the first rows were already full, so she headed towards the back of the room and found a bench that was relatively unoccupied. Sitting down she once again surveyed the audience, her gold-flecked eyes wide with excitement.  
"May I sit here?" a voice asked from behind her right ear.  
She turned to regard the speaker. The human was tall, not incredibly but above average. A mass of seemingly unkept brown hair dangled around his shoulders and a slight shadow of a beard was apparent on his face. He was dressed strangely for a Jedi, not garbed in the traditional robes and tunic of the order but instead in a tunic seemingly made of a heavy fabric and embroidered with a strange insignia. Over his tunic he wore a heavy cloak of the darkest green and high boots, both of which were caked with dry mud. However the most startling thing about him was his eyes. Green eyes betraying a deep intelligence but with a hard edge to them. In those eyes Lynn saw a deep potential for understanding and tolerance, but also a great potential for anger, and revenge.  
"Is there a problem?" He asked, his eyebrow arching in a questioning glance. Aware that she had been staring she quickly responded,  
"No, of course not, sorry."  
He shot another curious look at her again as he stepped past and made his way to the end of the bench, drawing his cloak around him as he sat. Her head tails curling in embarrassment Lynn was glad that no one near her could read lekku. Gold flecked eyes drifted to the front, to see if a speaker had arrived, but her attention soon wandered back to the mysterious human. He was sitting with a calm expression on his face, watching the crowd intently as though analyzing each and every student. This was a bit unnerving Lyn thought and she glanced once more at his attire. "You can always tell a person by the shoes they wear." An old friend of the family had once told her. Lyn's own boots were new, still holding the luster they had when first purchased, the high backs supportive and comfortable but not yet broke in. The human's shoes were a different story all together. They looked old, and well worn, with a thousand scuffs and marks, no doubt from previous journeys and mud caked from countless hours in the wilderness. Yes, she decided, this human traveled often, and tended to keep to himself, very similar to Lyn. But one thing they did not share was experience; Lyn had yet to experience true pain or loss, while the human obviously carried the weight of both upon his proud shoulders. Though she had very little formal instruction in the ways of the force, the grief that radiated off this man was almost tangible. He had suffered great loss and Lyn wondered if that was what put the edge in his eyes. She was jerked from her contemplations by a lone figure walking slowly but purposely out onto the stage. The students quickly stopped talking and resumed their seats, all eyes focused upon the lone figure at the center of the stage. As the sun finally rose to the height of the audience chamber brilliant rays of sunlight shone through the windows and washed over the students. On the now illuminated the stage, the students came to realize the figure was none other that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebel Alliance and founder of the New Jedi order.  
"Welcome my friends" began the sandy-haired Jedi master, though he spoke softly his voice carried to every corner of the massive room.  
"We are here today because we share a dream. We wish to restore the galaxy to what it once was, a place of tolerance and safety and to repair the damages of years at war. As you all know, for over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice, and so it will be once more. Every day our numbers grow, each and every Jedi bringing something new to the Force and our understanding of it. Each one of you is gifted in some area of the force, and I urge you to spend you time amongst the other students expanding your knowledge of the force, and of yourselves. Learn from each other, share your strengths and together overcome your weaknesses. Though the Imperial Remnant is still at large, our emissaries are bringing new worlds into the Republic every day. Together I know we can build a new Jedi order as strong and wise as that of old. This academy is not structured towards classes and strict timetables, rather it is a place of independent study, learn at your own pace. While our numbers are still few, several other Jedi Knights will be available to help you at any time. At this time I would like to ask all of you to join us in the courtyard at 8 o'clock tonight for a proper welcoming. If you have not already done so, please find quarters for yourselves and then join us for the evening meal."  
He paused for effect, and then continued,  
"Every year, every day we grow stronger and nearer to our goal of a safe Republic. Good luck to all and may the force be with you." Finished Master Skywalker, and all the students broke out in excited conversations. As Lyn stood, she turned to see the mysterious human had already gone. She frowned ever so slightly as she wondered how he had slipped away so quickly. Making her way towards the stairs she caught little bits of conversation such as, "I cant wait to start", or "this is the most important job in the galaxy…" Lyn too was feeling the exhilaration after Master Skywalker's speech and wondering what sort of wonderful things she would learn on this lush planet, so far from everything she had ever known. _I had better get to the mess hall_ she thought as she stepped out onto the main level where most of the student's quarters were. Recalling the layout of the academy she took a few turns and followed the line of students making their way to the mess hall. As she entered the large communal room she immediately realized that she was going to have to sit with strangers. Her head-tails twitched ever so slightly at this prospect, but she quickly squelched her fears. _Your going to be a Jedi, and one day be responsible for the whole fleet, your going to have to get used to strangers_, she told herself as she waited in line. After grabbing a plateful of food that at least looked good she began searching for a place to sit.  
"You can sit here if you want." said a young human male sitting with a few other students at a small table along one of the think walls. He was average height, clean shaven with clear blue eyes and short blond hair. His face was fair and his expression passive though friendly, putting Lyn at ease. There were several other students at the table, including a tall chocolate furred wookie and a human female as well as a bothan and a rodian.  
"Oh, thank you" said Lyn sitting down in front of the human with the wookie on her right and empty bench on the left.  
"I'm Andri" he said, extending his hand  
"Lyn Eera" she told him, nervously clasping his hand. Through her very meager abilities in the force she sensed only calm strength and understanding coming off the human.  
"I am Raabaera" said a deep and thick voice with a strange accent. Lyn turned quickly, realizing that it was the wookie who had just spoken. The surprise must have been clear on her face because the wookie started chuffing with laughter.  
"Never mind him Lyn, he likes to do that to throw people off." Said the other human, a female who looked about Lyn's age though slightly taller and built more like a warrior.  
"I'm Anadra" she said but she did not extend her hand. She was athletic, with her long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. She held herself proud and straight, in a manner clearly showing her pride and independence.  
"Baer here was just playing around with you, since most people aren't used to a wookie that can speak basic." Said Anadra, her face breaking out into a grin.  
"May I ask _how _you can speak basic?" the Twi'lek asked her bight face full of interest. The wookie chuckled for a few more seconds then proceeded to say "I happen to have a rare speech impediment that while making conversing in my species native tongue impossible strangely enough allows me to speak basic quite well." He said as he selected a large piece of raw meat from his heaping plate and began chewing on it. Apart from a few slurs on the major consonants and his 'r's being a bit stretched out, Raabaera was quite understandable and remarkably well spoken.  
"So where'd they find you?" asked Anadra between bites of a strange arrangement of plants. Lyn paused before answering, "Master Solusar and Mistress Tionne were called to our merchant fleet to settle a dispute with a planetary government, and I guess they could 'sense' my force talent. I decided it would be good to see what the Academy had to offer." Anadra nodded, chewing her meal thoughtfully.  
"What about you?"  
"I was found on Coruscant by Master Katarn." said Andri.  
"But that's not the whole story is it?" said Anadra as she nudged him. Though his face remained the same a very slight bit of colour crept into his cheeks. "Why dont you tell her the whole story Andri?"  
"You're the only one who seems to care, so why don't you tell it?" he said. Anadra just laughed.  
"You see, Andri here is a bit of a stiff, takes things to seriously and is modest to a fault,it's true enough they found him onCoruscant, but when he was two!" Lyn looked at Andri in surprise and confusion.  
"Is that so unusual?" she asked.  
Anadra rolled her eyes and then said, "Well it's just that people here have been waiting for Andri to show up for a long time, they think hecould be one of the most talented new students, apart from the Solo twins that is."  
Lyn followed her gaze and saw two students, obviously twins, one boy and one girl talking casually with Master Skywalker. Another wookie passed by the table and roared a greeting to Raabaera. The wookie was tall and lanky, with a dark black streak running from above his left eye down to the middle of his back in stark contrast to his ginger coloured hair.  
"Greetings Lowbacca" replied Raabaera as he and the other wookie quickly clasped hands. As the other wookie walked away Raabaera turned back to the group and explained, "That is Lowbacca, he is nephew to Chewbacca of the _Millennium Falcon_. He was once a member of my village, before my family moved to another part of Kashyyk."  
He went back to his meal, grabbing another slab of meat in his hairy hands. Andri turned to Lyn and asked, "You said your family owns a merchant fleet?"  
"Yes, that's correct."  
"Does that mean you've been all over the place? How many worlds have you visited?" asked Anadra, suddenly very interested. Finally a subject that she was confident about Lyn wasted no time in replying,  
"Not that many, perhaps a dozen or more. My family is still building the business and our fleet is not very large."  
"A dozen worlds? Which ones?" Anadra asked, forgetting her food and staring at Lyn intently. Even Raabaera had stopped chewing, looking expectantly at the young Twi'lek. Her head-tails moving slightly out of nervousness at being put on the spot like this, Lyn started to rhyme off the various worlds she had visited.  
"Well, I have been to Coruscant, Ryloth, I was on Kashyyk once but we didn't stay long, and we traveled a bit in the Corporate sector, Tatooine…" before she could finish Anadra cut in.  
"What's Tatooine like? Master Skywalker is from Tatooine isn't he?" Lyn was puzzled as to why the human had suddenly become so interested and it must have shown on her face because Andri choose that moment to step in.  
"Take it easy on her Anadra. There will be plenty of time to get to know her and I'm sure she'll tell you about all the worlds you haven't seen."  
Anadra considered this for a moment then leaned back in her chair. "I suppose your right, as usual. You can save your stories for another time." She picked up her fork and resumed eating.  
"Anadra comes from a very sheltered world, and knows very little about the rest of the galaxy." Explained Andri.  
"Hey! That's not true!" objected Anadra. Andri turned to her, a slight mocking grin on his face.  
"It's not?"  
"No it's not, and well done ruining the whole story. I do know about the rest of the galaxy, I'm just _curious_ that's all. And I'll have you know Mr. Quinn that my 'sheltered world' as you call it happens to have…"  
"One of the finest military traditions in the known galaxy." Finished Raabaera dramatically, raising both his hairy arms, droplets of juice from his meal flying into the air.  
"You have told us on several occasions."  
Anadra looked as though she were about to say something then changed her mind and punched Raabaera from across the table. Feigning pain the wookie grabbed at his arm and started rocking back and forth. Anadra gave an exasperated sigh and resumed her meal, methodically cutting the various leaves and herbs into small bite-sized portions. Lyn was struggling to contain a laugh and when she turned to Andri she saw he was fighting a similar battle. Raabaera chuckled softly to himself as bent over his plate to finish the last of his meal. A little gruffly Anadra turned to Andri and asked, "Aren't you going to ask Lyn if she wants to come to the dance with us?" Lyn turned to Andri with a questioning look on her face.  
"That's what the meeting in the courtyard is all about, it's a dance to welcome the new students and get them acquainted with some of the more experienced ones." He explained, his face still retaining it's calm expression.  
"Would you like to come with us?" Lyn looked at each one of the others before responding, "Sure, it would be my pleasure."  
Anadra nodded and Andri's expression changed slightly into a grin while the wookie draped a heavy arm over Lyn's shoulders, welcoming her to the group. A smile spread across her face as she came to the realization that these friends did not consider her odd in any way due to the colour of her skin or the fact that they were so different. _Maybe it was partly my fault, for considering humans to be so different_ she thought. _We are more alike than we are different_. Many of the other students were making their way out of the mess hall, no doubt to prepare for the nights festivities. As she stood to go, she picked out the tall human who had sat near her at the assembly. He was leaning against the wall arms folded across his chest, he seemed to be studying her. The crowd began moving and Lyn lost sight of him. When the students had made their way past her, he was no where to be seen. Lyn didn't know whether to be worried or curious. Obviously noticing her expression Anadra asked, "What's the matter Lyn?"  
"Its nothing. I'm fine, just wondering what to wear tonight."  
The human nodded, as though this very thing was crossing her mind as well. _Who are you?_ Thought Lyn to herself, as she walked away from the mess hall and towards her quarters. Who ever this human was, he was certainly intriguing and Lyn began to wonder why he had taken such an interest in her.

Okay the next chapter may take a day or so, or a week, depends.


	2. A night to Remember

Chapter Two: A Night to Remember

LYN QUICKLY CLOSED the door to her room, making sure the lock was secure and then rushed quickly to the chest at the foot of her sleeping pallet. Her mind was racing with a multitude of thoughts, what would happen tonight at the courtyard, what she should wear, and whether or not the mysterious man she had seen earlier that day would be at the dance. She knelt down and opened the chest, its old hinges squeaking slightly as she raised the heavy lid. She rummaged through the few belongings she had brought with her, and pulled out her dress robes. Very similar to her training robes, they had been given to her as a gift from her parents and were emblazoned with the simple crest of the Eeranian fleet. They were finely woven of soft white fabrics, stitched with gold thread. The outer cloak was a heavy fabric of rich midnight blue and silver thread trace intricate star patters on it. Laying the whole outfit upon her mattress she thought to herself, _what if it's too fancy_? Anadra had said to come in her best, for it was the one night a year the students would all gather like this and be able to dress in their finery, but this did seem a bit excessive. Her mother had always told her that appearance was important and to dress appropriately for a situation. She didn't have anything else besides her Jedi robes and a few articles of civilian clothes, neither of which were very festive. She was still debating when a sharp knock sounded at her door. She moved swiftly to the door and threw the latch. She opened it to find Anadra leaning on the doorframe a grin on her face.

"Picked out what you are going to wear yet?" she asked.

"I having a bit of trouble actually." Replied the Twi'lek "would you like to come in?"

Anadra entered the room and her eyes immediately fell upon the robes laid out neatly on the bed.

"Is that what you're wearing?" She moved over to the bed and ran her fingers over the beautiful garment. The young Twi'lek looked at the expression on her newfound friend's face, "Is it too much?"

"No, no not at all, it's very subtle; you would have to get up close to see how fancy it is. Believe me, you will see a lot worse at the dance tonight."

For a moment a look of longing flickered across the girl's proud face, but for just a moment. Curious Lyn couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to wear?"

"My dress uniform."

"What's that?"

Anadra looked at the Twi'lek in surprise.

"A dress uniform is the formal uniform that officer's wear to gatherings such as these in order to both look good and professional at the same time." She said, assuming the same proud military posture Lyn had seen earlier.

"What planet are you from?" asked the Twi'lek.

"Tararac Prime, in the Nawric sector." Her face lit up at the thought of her homeworld. "It is remote, but it's not the little backwater most people make it out to be. We are very military oriented but in a defensive manner, we don't plan to go out and conquer other worlds." Lyn noted that she said 'backwater' with a bit of an edge.

"So was your family, in power there?" asked Lyn, going on a hunch. Anadra turned to her with surprise on her face.

"My Father is the Admiral of our fleet and my Mother works as an assistant to the Minister." She raised an eyebrow, "How did you know that?

"Just a guess." Lyn was looking at Anadra's boots. They were tall and stiff, meticulously polished and maintained, built for use as well as show.

"You seem a bit nervous, you're sure everything is alright?" asked Anadra.

"How did you…?"

In response Anadra laughed and replied, "I've been at the Academy for over a year, nervousness is radiating from you."

Lyn blushed, though it wasn't very noticeable on her blue cheeks.

"I'll teach you a simple relaxation technique if you want." Said Anadra sitting down cross-legged on the floor.

"What does it do?" asked Lyn as she joined the human on the floor.

"It helps clear your mind, calm you down. I think Andri got permanently stuck in one."

Lyn couldn't help but laugh at that. Anadra seemed to like teasing Andri, and understood the two of them had a very strong friendship.

"I guess I could try it."

"Try not, do or do not, there is no try." She was obviously quoting because she put on her best Jedi Master face and spoke solemnly, almost reverently.

"You better get used to that, it's a very common saying around here." Said the human, recalling all the times she had been told the exact same thing, _I never thought I would be the one saying it._ Lyn paused to consider the words then nodded.

"That is a very wise saying, I'll remember it."

Anadra then proceeded to lead Lyn through a few Jedi relaxation techniques, the Twi'lek quickly picking up the skills required for them. When they were finished Lyn felt much more at ease.

"You're a quick learner." Congratulated Anadra.

"Thank you, I may just be able to get through the night now, if I'm lucky." Both laughed at this.

"You got nothing to worry about Lyn. See you tonight." The human said as she left, marching purposely down the hall, her boots sounding proudly on the flagstones. Lyn envied the confidence the young woman possessed and resolved herself to be more like Anadra. She closed her door and stared at her dress robes with a smile, why not go all out? She pulled the curtains across her window and began changing into the remarkable outfit.

Anadra 'felt' him coming even before she heard him. Knowing there was no way to avoid him, she braced herself to be as civil as possible.

"Hey, how's it going Miss Backwater?"

Anadra had a hard time with insults to her homeworld and especially hated the term 'backwater' implying her world was primitive. A strong arm grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. She glared at the young man who held her arm. His name was Garren Ryke. He was a tall, with a very fine face and neatly cut hair. He was built strong, and his skin finely tanned. He was one of the most attractive men she had known, and he knew it. He was also one of the most blatant racists she had ever met and had a reputation for his chauvinistic views. His ego could choke a Death Star. She grabbed his hand in her strong grip and removed it from her shoulder.

"Fine thanks, now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for tonight." She began walking away, head down. He laughed at her and caught up, easily matching her determined stride.

"I saw you chatting with the snake-head. You want to be careful, she might bite you. Her kind is known to sharpen their teeth."

Her hand flew before she could stop it, ready to slap him but he stopped it easily.

"You know you deserve better than that pathetic group you waste your time with, you deserve someone like me." He flashed her a grin. She glared daggers at him.

"Let go."

"No, I kinda like this." She kicked him, hard. He let go of her hand and cursed.

"Sith!" now he was the one to glare at her.

"Don't you ever talk about my friends like that again, or far worse will happen to you." She warned him and again walked away.

"We can't be friends with those who only want to use us Anadra, but of course they couldn't teach you that on your pathetic excuse for a world." Ryke said as he caught up to her. He knew how to get her riled. Only her fantastic discipline honed from her soldiers breeding kept her hand from flying again. She could probably beat him, if it came to blows but Ryke was known as one of the finest swordsmen in the academy, he had even dueled Master Katarn to a standstill.

"How bout you come to the dance with me tonight."

She couldn't believe this man, sure he may be good looking, and a few years older than her, but she absolutely despised him. How could he be so forward?

"You'll see that I can offer you more than that blond haired mute you fuss after." He was smirking while he said this. Insulting her was one thing, but insulting Andri was quite another. She whirled on him, her fists clenched as though ready to have it out right there in the hall. She could feel the blood rising in her face, and did her best to hide the anger that was threatening to take over her body. It was obviously no use because he looked at her face and grinned.

"Someone has a bit of a temper, that's good; I like a girl with spirit." He looked her up and down as though undressing her with his eyes. She was literally quivering with anger now.

"Come to the dance with me and I'll show you things you've only dreamed of." That was it, she couldn't take it anymore.

"You're an idiot to think I would ever dream about you." Her voice was dripping venom.

"If you don't get out of here right now, I can't be held responsible for what I'm going to do to you." She had settled into her fighting stance, though it was a far too subtle change for the oaf to notice. He stared at her possessively, and may have been about to say something else when her salvation arrived.

"Hello Garren Ryke." Said a strong voice from behind her. She turned to see Raabaera and Andri standing behind her. Raabaera folded his strong arms over his chest, the muscles bulging under the think hair. Andri stood silently, fixing Ryke with a hard glare.

"Ahhh, the mute and his pet." Said the arrogant man. In response Baer curled his upper lip to expose his teeth.

"Just having a little fun with your girlfriend Andri, she deserves a real man, not some weakling son of a Senator."

"I hope you're not referring to yourself, I could throw you down this hall with one arm." Said Raabaera, a wookie approximation of a grin spreading across his face, though it held no humor in it.

"You should put a muzzle on your pet Andri" Raabaera stepped forward angrily, fully ready to make good on his threat until Andri and Anadra stopped him. Ryke moved away though, but not before he added, "See you after the dance Backwater." The three friends watched him go with angry looks upon their faces.

"Lets go." Said Anadra roughly, walking towards her quarters.

"Are you alright?" asked Andri, walking beside her, a slight look of concern on his normally passive face. His concern both touched her, and annoyed her.

"I'm fine." she said a bit too sharply.

"That one needs a good beating." said Raabaera angrily. "What did he mean with that last comment?" She could feel Andri's eyes looking into her, trying to read her thoughts through the force. At that point she just wanted to get away from them both; she needed time to be alone.

"He was just being Ryke, now if you'll excuse me I need to get ready for tonight." She walked quickly into her quarters and closed the door behind her. She leaned against the door, glad for the privacy her room offered, for her eyes were moistening and she didn't want her friends to see her like that. _Pull yourself together girl_, she told herself ashamed of her weakness, this is not how a soldier should behave. Wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve she moved over to her trunk and laid out her dress uniform on her bed. _Over a year of his nonsense and I still can't shrug it off._ She used one of the same relaxation techniques that she had just taught Lyn to calm herself down. She did feel strongly for Andri but she wasn't sure it was THAT strongly, they had known each other from the first days at the academy and had grown into fast friends, but to carry it to the next level…she didn't know. She really wanted to strike Garren for what he had said; it was really hard to put up with his derogatory remarks. Women were a possession to him, and she hated the way he looked at her. Sighing slightly she turned her attention to preparing her uniform for the dance.

On the other side of the door Andri could clearly sense his friend's distress.

"Why didn't she want to talk to us?" he asked aloud, forgetting that Baer was standing right beside him.

"I have no answers for you my friend. I have yet to figure you humans out, and I think human _females_ will forever be a mystery to me." Said the wookie, draping an arm over Andri's shoulders and leading him away from the room.

"If he did anything to hurt her, he'll be sorry." Said Andri, trying to keep the anger out of his voice and out of his head. At this Raabaera laughed, Andri turned to him with a look suggesting the young wookie had lost his mind.

"Anadra is more than capable of looking after herself my friend; you would do well to remember that." Andri considered the words carefully, then nodded. The two friends split at the next bend, each heading off to prepare for that night.

Andri emerged from his trance feeling refreshed. He often meditated on his downtime, he found it put him at ease and often helped him find answers to questions he couldn't while still in the waking world. The bright sun was just starting to disappear behind the trees, casting faint shadows on the land. It was time to get ready; the Dance would begin in an hour. He dressed himself in his dress robes, of the purest white, clearly identifying his Alderaanian heritage. His family had been one of the few that had been off planet when it was destroyed. Of the few families left Andri's was the current Ambassadors for the Alderaanian's in the Senate. His dress robes were just like his normal Jedi robes except they were a pure white, and bore the crest of Alderaan on the ends of a long scarf like piece that was draped over his shoulders and hung around his knees. It was held in place by his sash, also white and displaying his family crest. He was worried about Anadra; he cared for the young girl more than he did for himself. Garren Ryke had taken a particular interest in her, and the very thought of that oafish fool laying his hands on her brought an uncharacteristic scowl to his face. Glancing in the mirror once to make sure everything was in place he opened the door and entered the hallway. He found Raabaera already waiting for him, his hair freshly washed and meticulously combed.

"I see you're all dressed up for the party" remarked Andri.

"Well some of us are blessed with natural beauty and don't need to cover it up with clothing." said the wookie, falling into step beside Andri as they walked towards the courtyard.

"Where are Anadra and Lyn?" he asked. The tall wookie just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as if to say _darned if I know._

"They'll find us." said Andri. As much to himself as to Baer. They joined the procession of students making their way out to the courtyard.

For this one night only, tables and chairs had been set out on the edges of the flag stoned courtyard. Chairs had also been placed around the walls of the courtyard and a small stage set up, where a couple of the more musical students would play for a bit of live entertainment. Mounted on the moss covered walls were several speakers but they became next to invisible in the fading light. Several large lights that had been part of the base when Yavin had been used by the rebels had been rotated to point at the courtyard. The smooth and carefully laid stones served remarkably well as a dance floor, and already students were milling around on it. Two large tables with various sorts of refreshments had been set up and Raabaera insisted on a choosing a seat close to them. They found a small 5 person table in one of the corners, giving them a bit of privacy. Most of the students had arrived after a few minutes those who weren't there had probably decided not to come. Andri was looking around for Anadra and Lyn when their voices sounded to his right.

"Looking for someone?" He turned to see Anadra and Lyn standing side by side, Anadra with a grin on her face. She had let her hair out of its ponytail and now it hung around her shoulders, Andri hadn't told her but he thought her hair looked great down like that. The dress uniform she was wearing fit her perfectly, its fine lines bringing out the shape that she often kept hidden. It was a rich blue blending almost perfectly with the fading sky. Andri couldn't tear his eyes away, even though his upbringing told him that staring was extremely rude.

"Is there a problem Andri?" asked Anadra, giving him a look that said'I know exactly what you were doing'.

"No I was just uhh…checking out the band." He tried to cover some of his embarrassment by moving his head slightly to peer around her in the general area of the stage.

"Sure you were." She turned and gave a slight and very subtle wink to Lyn, who tried to hide her laugh.

"I'm going to get some refreshment." announced Raabaera, he stood quickly and made his way to the refreshment table where the others saw another wookie with fur black as night. The other wookie was quite obviously female, and was slightly shorter than Baer, but she held herself with purpose, and moved very gracefully despite her size.

"Not very subtle is he?" said Anadra with a grin.

"It's not in his nature." replied Andri.

"Well maybe she'll at least talk to him this year." Anadra said as she sat down and motioned Lyn to sit as well.

"Wish him luck." commented Andri as they watched their friend walk up next to the black wookie and began talking to her. Lyn unclasped her cloak and removed it hesitantly; waiting for the reaction she knew was coming. The cloak fell away, and her outfit was laid bare, she felt many pairs of eyes on her and questioned again the wisdom of her decision. The pure white garments were very much like her Jedi robes, except fitted more to match her form. A long rectangle of fabric went over each shoulder and crossed at her waist to hang as one almost to her knees. Across her waist was a large sash embroidered with gold thread in Twi'lek artistic forms. The sleeves ended just after her shoulders, leaving her smooth arms bare. The pants were much narrower than the comfortable looseness of her training robes, and took every advantage to show off her shape. Coming from a species renowned for their dancing girls, sometimes Lyn found Twi'lek designed clothes a bit revealing even when she was fully clothed. She sat quickly, and felt herself blushing. Andri was wide eyed, for him at least, and his mouth was open a bit as though it shock. Lyn put her hand over her eyes as though to block out the stares and looked at the tablecloth with much interest. Anadra saw this and saw too the stunned Andri, and nudged Lyn.

"Catching flinats Andri?" her eyebrows raised.

He swallowed and cleared his throat. His face was slowly trying to resume its passive demeanor.

"You ahhh, look great Lyn." he managed to stutter out.

"Ohhh, notice he didn't say anything about me. Some pretty new girl shows up and suddenly I'm out the airlock." she was feigning insult of course, and she did it purely to bring the slightest blush to Andri's face.

"You look good too Anadra." he said, if somewhat quickly as though as an afterthought.

"Ohhh sure, _now_ you say it. Well I'm sorry mister, to little to late." She turned in her chair to observe their wookie friend, who at that moment seemed to have engaged the female wookie's attention, and was trying everything he could to entertain her. Lyn tried stretching out with the Force, sensing vague feelings of happiness and a bit of nervousness from Anadra. From Andri she got mixed feelings of embarrassment, which was really strong right now. She also sensed a bit of…what was that? Competition perhaps? Lyn didn't need the Force to see that a bond was developing between the two humans; she could tell by the way they looked at each other, with hidden and veiled looks when they thought no one else was watching. As she scanned the crowd she spotted the mysterious human, he was speaking with Master Katarn, who was one of the Jedi stationed at the Academy for the time being. He was clad in a fine robe, of a deep green, the colour of the forest in a thunderstorm. Though it was a simple, it fit him well, resting on his strong shoulders and fitting comfortably about his body, completely non-restrictive but not noticeably loose. She noticed he was wearing a pair of polished black boots, either he had changed them or had cleaned all the dirt of the other ones. He was wearing something very similar to Andri's scarf thing that was held in his sash and bore the same insignia she had seen earlier. He finished his conversation with the Jedi Master and as he looked out over the crowd his gaze fell upon her. She quickly averted her eyes, not wanting to give away the fact that she had been looking at him but she could still feel his eyes boring into her. It was at that point that Master Skywalker chose to appear onstage. Still dressed in the same robes he had worn to the lecture earlier he walked to the center stage and waited for the crowd to quiet down. The students quickly resumed their seats, with several of the older apprentices and Jedi standing or sitting along the low walls.

"You all look wonderful tonight." he began, a proud smile on his face.

"As Jedi you will often be called upon to stand on ceremony, and it is important to build social skills for a Jedi is more negotiator than warrior. Remember that we are to uphold peace and justice. We have several full Jedi Knights that have agreed to supervise the activities, though I doubt we shall need it." he added in a half-serious half-mocking tone. I must leave the Academy for a little while…" the crowd murmured at this and Lyn also was wondering the reason behind the Jedi Master's departure.

"While I am gone Masters Katarn and Solusar will take up your instruction, so please afford them every bit of respect that you extend to me, they can teach you a lot. With that said I shall turn you over to our wonderful musicians. Enjoy the evening." He stepped down and almost at once the band began to play, a well known party tune that had many of the students rising from their seats and moving out onto the dance floor. Raabaera choose that moment to return to the table, carrying an armful of drinks that looked precariously close to falling. Andri stood and helped him get them set down.

"You could have made two trips, or I could have got my own." said Andri

"This seemed easier." replied the wookie with a shrug. He at least seemed completely uninterested in Lyn's outfit.

"Well, how'd it go?" asked Anadra, raising her eyebrows.

"How did what go?" asked the wookie as casually as he could, but it was evident that he knew exactly what the girl was referring to.

"Don't give me that, we saw you two, over by the refreshment table. Didn't we Lyn?"

Lyn gave the wookie a helpless shrug, "I suppose so."

Anadra just shook her head at the pair of them.

"Did she at least talk to you this time?"

"Kallabukk always talks to me." said the wookie defensively. "She and I were discussing our wish to return to Kashyyyk for a short stay to visit our families.

"Really? I can see how that could be a pressing matter." said Andri, with a completely serious face, but Lyn swore she could feel his laughter in the Force. Anadra pulled a small flash stick from her belt, it was standard on uniforms, and lit several of the small candles at their table, basking it in a soft glow. Andri stretched out with the Force and raised one into the air, his eyes closed in concentration. Lyn watched in fascination as he circled the table with the tiny glowing flame. Anadra narrowed her eyes in a competitive way and even though his eyes were closed Andri seemed to see her and broke into grin. Anadra stretched forth her fingers ever so slightly and one of the other candles floated into the air. Not content with this she also made its flame burn brighter, dwarfing the glow of Andri's. Lyn looked around to see several other students raising candles, whether with their hands of with the Force, the band had moved to a slow song. The lights had dimmed and now student were dancing with one another, holding each other close and slowly moving with the music. Anadra raised another candle, to try and claim victory, but Andri also raised a second one their brows knit in concentration. The wookie leaned over to Lyn and whispered in her ear, so as to not break his friend's concentration.

"You can do that too." His voice got deeper the quieter he spoke, sounding more like his native tongue.

"No I can't, I don't know how." She thought it was incredible what her friends were doing, but never imagined that she might do the same.

"Then let me show you. Close your eyes."

Lyn did as she was told and closed her eyes.

"Now stretch out with your feelings."

Lyn did not know what she should be doing and tried to 'feel' the others around her. A hazy perception of Anadra and then Andri came into being, but it was though they were far away, or in thick fog.

"Open yourself to the Force." said Raabaera softly.

Lyn furrowed her brow in concentration, looking deep within herself to find the Force. Her brain hurt she was concentrating so hard, but still she could not find the stream of energy she believed the Force to be. Encouragement poured into her from around the table, giving her confidence and removing doubt.

"You are thinking to hard, do not think, feel the Force."

This was a different voice, but Lyn was so deep inside herself she could not identify the speaker, only heed its advice. Letting her breath out she tried to clear her thoughts, employing some of the same techniques Anadra had taught her earlier that day. As she relaxed she perceived a tiny stream of energy flowing around her. Instead of thinking on it, she reached out with her senses and tried 'feeling' it. The hazy images of Andri and Anadra became sharper, and several other students who were sitting nearby also came into her perception. She began to feel the Force around her, in her friends, in the grass and mosses nearby and in the very air around her moving slowly and peacefully, flowing around her and through her like a stream or river. As she dropped the last of her inhibitions, the lingering self doubt she felt the force crash into her like a tidal wave. It washed over her and through her, wrapping her up completely in its embrace, flowing into and out of her and binding her to the galaxy as never before.

"Now find the candle." The voice of a friend.

Locating the candle in the stream of energy, she immediately became aware of its every characteristic, its weight, its height and its volume.

"Imagine it is lighter than it is, as light as a feather."

The force swirled around the candle as she focused upon it; she imagined its weight leaking out of it and being carried away by the Force. Ever so slowly the candle began to rise, very shakily at first but Lyn focused on steadying it. She imagined it weightless, blending seamlessly with the air around it and it lifted a bit more of the table. A confident and happy grin spread across her face but in that moment her concentration wavered and the candle plunked back down to the table. As she opened her eyes her friends applauded and cheered her.

"Well done Lyn." said Andri, a wide grin on his face.

"Way to go." this from Anadra.

Raabaera took a more direct route and bellowed joyfully, startling several of the students at the next table and provoking a series of ssssshhhhhhh noises. Lyn could feel the power of the Force bleeding away, slowly resuming its passive trickle; it was like a sleeping volcano, peaceful at rest but ready at a moments notice.

"That was incredible." said Lyn, face beaming though the effort had left her a little winded.

"Yes, it truly is." said Anadra "It's like being blind your whole life and then all of a sudden you can see."

"I'd say its more like having wings your whole life then realizing you can fly." said the Twi'lek, and the wookie shook his head in agreement.

"I could feel the Force but I was still having difficulty lifting the candle and then I lost it all at once." said the Twi'lek, looking to her friends for answers.

"It may be a while before you can lift the candle in the same way Anadra and I did." said Andri. "You can feel the Force but you cannot exert fine control just yet. I was an excellent first try though."

"As far as why you lost control at the end, your concentration simply wavered. You took you mind of your goal for a slit second and that was enough to lose the candle." explained Anadra. Raabaera nodded his agreement, "Also overconfidence and too much pride can hamper your connection to the Force. We are surprised Anadra can find it at all." said the wookie adding the last sentence quickly and with a mocking tone.

Anadra started to open her mouth to defend herself but when she saw the expressions on her friends faces realized she would be playing right into their hands. The band finished their song in a triumphant climax and the vocalist moved forward and grabbed the microphone.

"Okay we're going to slow things down a bit. Don't be shy; we want to see everyone out on the dance floor."

Anadra turned to Andri, a mischievous grin on her face. He looked at her with a raised brow.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked extending his hand.

"Love to."

She put her hand in his and they moved out onto the floor together. Lyn watched them go with a small smile. She and Raabaera began practicing some small 'passive' Force powers that did not require her to tap into the massive power source she had earlier but rather using the life energy her body produced. He helped her to stretch her perception range, and pick up vague images of others and brief flashes of their thoughts and feelings. The four friends enjoy one another's company and spent the whole evening laughing, whether it was at Raabaera's 'unique' form of dancing, or with Lyn as she attempted various Force related tasks. Often times Anadra and Andri would stand up to dance with the slow songs and even Raabaera and his dark furred friend danced once or twice, though the wookie's dance was much different from many of the other humanoids. Several of the other male students had approached Lyn and asked her to dance, but she had politely turned them down. Andri and Anadra had danced with several of the other students but mostly with each other, holding each other close as they made their way around the dance floor. Even Kam and Tionne had enjoyed a dance together. The band played a variety of songs from many worlds and cultures, often time changing vocalists or players in order to meet the right sound requirements. Anadra was more than a little confused about Lyn's refusal to dance, and urged the Twi'lek on thinking that Lyn only lacked confidence.

"There is nothing to it, and it's rather fun." said the human, trying to get Lyn into the spirit.

"I know _how _to dance, I just don't want to right now."

"May I ask why? You are at a dance after all."

"I have my reasons; I'll dance when I'm ready."

Anadra seemed to accept that and nodded.

"Okay."

Lyn saw a large human moving through the crowd. He was handsome, well for a human at least Ly always had trouble with the lack of lekku. His headed their way purposefully in a swaggering gait that betrayed his arrogance. Lyn felt all of her friends tense at his approach, Anadra sitting straight in her chair and ready to spring to her feet if necessary. Andri moved one leg out from under the table and turned in his seat, squaring himself to the other human. Lyn's sharp eyes caught Raabaera barely flexing the muscles in his arms as if expecting action.

"How are things going over here?" he said with mock interest. His voice was smooth and highly educated. He turned to Anadra.

"Enjoying yourself Backwater?"

Anadra's eyes narrowed and Lyn could feel her anger through the Force, it worried her.

"I was until you showed up."

"What, no dances for me? You know you want it." Anadra opened her mouth to reply when Andri cut in.

"If you have business being here I suggest you get on with it, otherwise don't waste our time." His voice betrayed just a bit of anger. Garren ignored him focusing on Lyn.

"I don't believe we have met." he smiled, a smile that had probably cost his family a small fortune.

"I'm Garren Ryke, one of the senior students here at the academy."

"Lyn Eera." she was uncomfortable with this human watching her with his predatory looks, and Anadra was scowling at him

"Get out of here Ryke." she said, her voice cold as ice.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Lyn, to bad you threw your lot in with this bunch." he chuckled and walked away, where a group of girls almost immediately fell into step with him.

"That one is nothing but trouble." said Raabaera his vision still glued to the retreating humans back as though wondering if he could hit him with a thrown object.

"He seemed nice enough." said Lyn and the others all looked at her with surprise. "Why is he so bad?"

"Trust us, that one is bad news." said Anadra

"There isn't a decent bone in his body." added Andri

"He doesn't like aliens, he hates us because we're different and doesn't think we should be allowed to study at the Academy." said Raabaera bitterly. Lyn was shocked, how someone could hate her just because she was an alien.

"But why? He must have his reasons, and he can't hate me, he doesn't even know me." she argued. It didn't make sense to her. Anadra threw her a pitying look.

"He doesn't need a reason. He is slime, it makes him feel more important by putting others down so he made the obvious choice and blamed non-humans for all his own shortcomings." explained Anadra. Lyn's golden eyes narrowed slightly at Anadra's explanation of aliens being the 'obvious' choice. They were alien to her just as she was to them but she didn't go around hating them because of it. Just then the current singer grabbed the microphone and addressed the audience.

"All right, we have one more for you, and it's a slow one to finish off so we want to see _everybody_ out on the floor."

Anadra and Andri stood and made their way out onto the floor Anadra urging Lyn to follow, but the young Twi'lek remained in her seat. Raabaera stood and went to find Kallabukk, patting Lyn on the shoulder as he left. Lyn watched her friends go with mixed feelings, happy for them and wishing she could join them on the dance floor, but of all the males who had asked her, she wasn't interested in any of them.

"May I have this dance?" said a familiar voice from beside her. She turned to see the mysterious human standing before her, an uncertain expression on his face. His eyes were clear and sharp; even in the dark and she could read a variety of emotions passing through them. Through the force she could feel nervousness, as though this was a very difficult thing for him. She realized this was what she had been waiting for, the reason she had not danced tonight, because he had never asked her.

"It would be my pleasure." she stood and placed her hand in his. She tried to get a better feel of his emotions but found that he kept himself closely guarded, as though thick walls of the force were denying her entrance to his mind.

"I'm Lyn." she said as they walked towards the dance floor, the band had just begun playing, perhaps one of the most popular romantic songs at that time. The music was slow and powerful filling the entire courtyard and moving through the students, tugging at heartstrings as it went.

"What's your name?" she asked when he did not reply. He paused for an instant before responding.

"Jannos." though Lyn hardly knew him that name did not fit him. He said it as though uncomfortable with it, like he had forgotten it or was using it for the first time in a long time.

"Pleased to meet you Jannos." said Lyn as they stepped onto the dance floor.

He was clearly hesitant so Lyn made it easier on him by making the first move. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought herself closer. He was tense, his muscles knotted beneath her arms and she wondered what was causing his anxiety. The vocalist began the long, mournful melody and the dancers gave themselves over to the music. Jannos relaxed slightly as the music took over, and gradually the nervousness in the force subsided. At first Jannos' movements were a little stiff and un-coordinated, but he quickly adjusted to the obviously unfamiliar task of dancing. Lyn helped him by taking the lead in the dance and soon they were dancing comfortably. Lyn looked into his eyes, clear and unguarded for the first time, nothing but peace flowed from him through the force. He returned her gaze, looking deeply into her eyes and her heart skipped a beat. She lost herself in his eyes, burdened by many losses yet still clear and sharp. He pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder, they danced as one being. Anadra watched them dance over Andri's shoulder and caught Lyn's eye, giving her a wink and a smile. Lyn returned the look with a small grin, wishing the dance could last forever. The band brought the dance to a resonating climax, the emotions of the crowd blending together in the Force. Too soon for Lyn's liking the last note died out, and the dancers broke apart. She pulled away from Jannos slowly staring him once more in the eyes, and for a moment thought she saw a flicker of happiness but just as soon as it came it was gone again. He bowed slightly to her and said, "I thank you for the dance. It is my hope we meet again."

She gave a small laugh and in turn bowed to him saying, "The pleasure was all mine."

They were still staring at each other when a familiar figure made his way through the crowd. Though most of the students and teachers were already making their way back to their quarters Garren Ryke seemed to have business with either Jannos or Lyn but judging from the uneasy feeling she got through the Force she could have bet it was her.

"Funny isn't it?" he started, the small group following standing behind him like some kind of bodyguard.

"You can dress them up in fancy clothes, but no matter what they are wearing you can't change what they are."

Lyn wondered what the human was getting at, Jannos merely seemed to relax and Lyn thought she saw a shift in his balance, but couldn't be sure.

"Who are you trying to fool, Lyn Eera? You can make yourself look almost human, but the fact is unless you cut those two hideous growths off, you will always be a snake head. You're nothing but an alien, not fit to study the force." He nearly spat the last words out, his face flushed with hatred. Lyn could feel tears welling up inside her and her bottom lip quivered slightly. _Why is he saying this?_ Jannos moved slightly in front of her, just enough so that if Garren made any move forward he would have to get through Jannos to get to Lyn. He moved like liquid metal, flowing graceful and strong, Lyn wondered how he could move like that and still have trouble dancing.

"Get out of here Ryke." He said, his voice carrying forcefully, enough to make the other human pause before continuing.

"Who are you? I don't think we've met."

"We haven't, but believe me we will meet again and on far worse terms for you if you don't leave right now." Jannos seemed to grow taller and hold himself in a much more commanding manner.

"This doesn't concern you; I'm here to talk to the snake-head." His bodyguards moved up right beside him, trying to look intimidating. Jannos just crossed his arms over his chest and waited patiently.

"You had better watch out, the snake-heads sharpen their teeth, she's liable to bite you, don't give her anything you would regret losing." Lyn was now filled with anger and shame, to hear her species so blatantly criticized by these ignorant humans.

"Yeah, or maybe he's smart." said Garren grinning evilly. "He will have himself his own dancing girl, that's the only thing she would be good for." all of the humans with Ryke laughed heartily at this. Lyn could feel tears running down her cheeks, how anyone could be so cruel was beyond her. Jannos still held himself with absolute calm and she had to wonder if he truly did care about her like she though, or if he was just using her for other reasons.

"You have three seconds." said Jannos finally, his voice carrying an edge sharp enough to cut durasteel.

"What do you mean?" said Ryke, still laughing. Lyn had had enough; she turned and walked quickly toward the academy, not even bothering to gather up her elegant cloak and trying in vain to hide the tears that were now streaming down her face.

"Ohhh where you going baby, give us a dance first." shouted Garren at Lyn's back. This only served to hurt her even more, which was exactly what he wanted.

"Three." said Jannos; his gaze was fixed on Ryke.

"What are you gonna do?" said the taller human.

"Two."

"I hate to tell you this but there are 5 of us against one of you."

"One"

Ryke tensed, expecting a fight but Jannos still just stood there arms crossed. Ryke relaxed and allowed a grin to spread across his face, now certain he was safe, the other man could never attack the five of them. Ryke never had a chance to dodge the fist Jannos launched at his face. It connected solidly with the other mans jaw and turned Ryke's proud face nearly around. Moving like quicksilver Jannos swept the legs out from under his opponent and the flipped one of the others over his shoulder as they tried to attack him from behind. A third leaped forward to catch him off guard, and stumbled back with a black eye and bleeding nose clutching his stomach where it had been kicked. The last two were hesitant to engage the dangerous man, who was standing in perfect balance calmly awaiting whatever would come his way. The would be assailants hauled themselves to their feet and looked at Jannos with dismay, not noticing the crowd of students attracted by the brief scuffle.

"You made three mistakes." said Jannos; the others just stared at him in confusing.

"One, you insulted me."

"Two, you insulted Lyn."

"Three" he paused and looked at them seriously, his face freezing their blood.

"You still think you can win."

It looked as though Garren was about to lunge at Jannos when Master Katarn arrived, standing in between the two and shooting them both a disapproving frown.

"What's going on here?"

"Nothing sir." said Garren in as nonchalant manner as he could manage, his companion trying to wipe the blood from his face.

"Really?" said Kyle, giving the arrogant man a less than friendly look. He turned to Jannos.

"Well?"

"It was a small disagreement Master."

Kyle was obviously less than convinced, but he nodded and said,

"No more 'disagreements' then, all of you get to your quarters or I'll have you running the Temple all night." Running the temple was what the students called Kyle's disciplinary technique, having the student run up and down the steep stairs of the Great temple. They didn't believe he was serious about the threat, but it was better safe than sorry. Jannos shot Ryke one more look before stalking towards the temple, Garren just sneered in return. Anadra and Andri with Raabaera in tow, having seen the entire episode, made their way through the thinning crowd to confront Ryke. When she reached him Anadra looked ready to hit him she even dropped Lyn's cloak to free up her hands and demanded angrily, "What did you say to her?"

"I just let her know how much I liked her dress." replied the arrogant human.

"Like hell you did."

"Yeah, it's a shame about those things sticking out of her head, honestly we only waste our time teaching aliens to use the force, the beasts aren't worthy of it."

This time Anadra had to be held back by Raabaera's strong arms, the wookie baring his fangs threateningly. Ryke just laughed.

"Like I said before, I like a girl with spirit."

"Too bad you don't fight as well as you talk." said Andri moving forward. Garren glared at Andri and started to stroll away shouting over his shoulder, "I'll see you in the ring Alderaan."

Raabaera released Anadra only after Ryke was nearly out of sight, and Andri bent to retrieve the cloak.

"What ever he said, he sure upset Lyn, we have to talk to her." said Anadra, teeth clenched.

"Anadra is right, our friend needs us now." said the wookie.

Andri nodded in silent agreement, and the three fiends made their way quickly into the temple to find Lyn.


End file.
